SAT / ACT (General Information)

ABOUT THE SAT AND ACT

The SAT and ACT are college entrance exams that all students MUST take to apply to a four year college or university. These tests can be taken multiple times, but they are only offered at certain times of the year.

Are the SAT/ACT different?

Yes. The SAT and ACT are two different college entrance exams from two separate companies, but both are widely accepted.

Which should I take, the SAT or ACT?

It's hard to tell what test a student will do better on. I recommend students try both test to see which they prefer. After receiving scores and seeing which is better, a student can identify the test they wish to continue taking and improve their score. Please check out this link to see the differences between the tests:http://www.princetonreview.com/sat-act.aspx.

When should I take the SAT/ACT?

I recommend that students begin taking the tests in the spring semester of their junior year. This will give students plenty of time to continue to study and retake their test to improve their scores. Below is a list of the 2018-2019 SAT/ACT test dates and registration deadlines.

SAT Date

SAT Reg Date

ACT Date

ACT Reg. Date

Aug. 25

July 27 (late reg: Aug. 15)

Sept. 8

Aug. 10 (late reg: Aug. 26)

Oct. 6

Sept. 7(late reg: Sep 26)

Oct. 27

Sept. 28 (late reg: Oct. 14)

Nov. 3

Oct. 5 (late reg: Oct 24)

no Nov. ACT offered

Dec. 1

Nov. 2 (late reg: Nov 20)

Dec. 8

Nov. 2 (late reg: Nov. 19)

no Jan SAT offered

no January ACT offered

no Feb SAT offered

Feb. 9

Jan. 11 (late reg: Jan 18)

March 9

Feb. 8 (late reg: Feb 27)

no March ACT offered

no April SAT offered

April 13

Mar. 8 (late reg: Mar. 25)

May 4

April 5 (late reg: Apr. 24)

June 8

May 3 (late reg: May20)

June 1

May 3 (late reg: May 22)

July 13

June 14 (late reg: June 24)

What is a good score?

There is no exact answer to a "good" score. Every college has different requirements for admissions. I recommend that you look up your prospective college's score requirements for admission. I have compiled a College Quicklist of popular schools that MWHS students apply to here:www.magnoliaisd.org/apply.

How much does the SAT/ACT cost?

The SAT costs $47.50 (No essay) & $64.50 (with essay). The ACT costs $46.00 (No essay) & $62.50 (with essay). Some colleges REQUIRE an essay section. Please check the college you are interested in to find out if they require or prefer the essay.

If you qualify for free or reduced lunch, you will be eligible for a fee waiver. Students can use up to two fee waivers per test (depending on availability). Please come see me if you would like to receive a waiver.

How do I register for the SAT/ACT?

Registration for the SAT and ACT is done completely online. For the SAT,www.collegeboard.organd for the ACT,www.actstudent.org. Students will need to create an account for each test. Make sure you save and write down your account username and password. MWHS does not have any access to these accounts, and cannot reset them. For more inormation about registering, check out the section below titled "Registering for the SAT/ACT".

How do colleges get my scores?

When you register for the tests, you can choose up to 4 colleges to receive your scores for free. If you wait until after the tests, you will have to pay for each school that you send your scores to. The cost is approximately $12 per score per school.

How do I study for the SAT/ACT?

There are many free online resources for students to utilize to help prepare for the tests. We recommendwww.khanacademy.org. There is also a free mobile app that students can download called Bench Prep. Students are also welcome to check out books from our library.